


Dear Max,

by Artistic_Alex



Category: Camp Camp (Web Series)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Bad Parenting, David Acting as Max's Parental Figure | Dadvid (Camp Camp), Gen, Letters, Max's (Camp Camp) Parents Are Bad Parents, Packages, Parent-Child Relationship, Sad Max (Camp Camp), mail
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-16
Updated: 2020-03-16
Packaged: 2021-02-22 21:21:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,045
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23167237
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Artistic_Alex/pseuds/Artistic_Alex
Summary: Max never got letters. Why would his parents care enough. But maybe, just maybe, this letter meant something different.
Relationships: David & Max (Camp Camp), Gwen & Max (Camp Camp)
Comments: 7
Kudos: 282





	Dear Max,

It all started when his parents sent him a letter.

Usually he didn’t expect anything when mail time came around, but this time he got a clean white envelope handed to him with “Max” written across it in blue pen. He couldn’t believe his eyes as he turned it in his hands. It was a conflicting feeling of self importance and fear as he reached to open it.

“Woah!” Nikki exclaims as she peers over his shoulder. “You got something?!” 

“Wait really?” Neil turns his head to see Max’s letter in his hand.

Max rolls his eyes. “Yeah. It’s probably not important though.” He says, putting it away.

“You’re not going to open it?” Neil questions.

“Nah. Not right now.” He says casually. “What’d you guys get?” 

Neil smiles as he pulls the things he had received out of his box. “Some books, new clothes, and a first aid kit.” 

“I got shoes and a nature explorer kit!” Nikki says excitedly.

“Cool. So lame shit.” 

Neil elbows him lightly. “You say that every time yet here you are only now just getting a letter.” 

“Har har, clever as always Neil.”

“Just saying.” 

*****

Max feels his hand twitch as he feels an urge to read the letter, but he manages to keep it to himself until that night, where he sits quietly in his tent, Neil already fast asleep.

He had been thinking about it all day. What could it be? Were his parents getting a divorce? Were they disowning him? Did they get evicted? 

Good news never came from his parents.

But somehow he had a good feeling.

He carefully removes it from his pocket, smoothing the crease with his fingers as he stares at the blue ink written on the front.

_ No more stalling. _

He gently opens it, trying his best not to tear the delicate paper before pulling it out and unfolding it. The note was again in blue ink. His mother always liked blue. It was her handwriting, too. Slowly he began to read.

_ Dear Max, _

_ Your father and I miss you very much. _

_ We’re sorry we haven’t been writing but we’ve been very busy.  _

_ We want you to know that we’re very excited for you to come home and that we’ll be ready for a new start. _

_ Love, mom _

Max looks at the note quizzically as he rereads it over and over and over.

This can’t be right.

His mom… Wrote him a letter? A nice one? 

He rereads it again, wishing there was more.

He can’t take it seriously. It had to be fake. Even if it was his mother's handwriting there was no way. He pushes it back into the envelope and throws it across the tent, going to bed confused and frustrated.

*****

He thought it was a one time thing, he had almost completely forgotten about it until the next mail time had come around. 

He sat with Nikki and Neil and watched like he usually did as they opened their letters and packages as he didn’t. But somehow he was caught off guard when Gwen had dropped a letter in front of him and smiled.

“No way.” Max says, picking it up.

“Woah, another one?” Nikki asks, wide eyed.

“Damn, good for you.” Neil says, opening a letter of his own.

“What does it say?” Nikki asks.

“None of your business.” He says, shoving it into his hood pocket.

“You don’t have to be so mean.” She adds, sticking out a tongue, which Max replies with the finger.

They stay silent after that. Max can only wonder what this one says now.

*****

Max waits for Neil to fall asleep before pulling it out, opening this one more quickly with hidden excitement and a tinge of fear.

In blue pen, it read:

_ Dear Max,  _

_ The house is very quiet without your presence.  _

_ It made us realize how much you really add to our lives. We’re lucky to have you and hope you can forgive us. _

_ Love, mom _

Max felt his heart swell as he reread it one last time.

Maybe this wasn’t a joke? 

No. No. His parents were pricks. There’s no way… Unless?

***** 

For the next few weeks he continues to receive letters, and every time he begins to believe them more and more until eventually he was openly excited about them.

Today he received a box. A WHOLE box. It had a space themed hoodie inside and a mini sewing kit. He was happy about the timing because Mr. Honeynuts was starting to fall apart again.

When Max got to his tent he hugged the hoodie and the letter close to him, smelling it as tears pricked his eyes.

He excitedly opened it.

_ Dear Max, _

_ We wanted to get you some new clothes to be sure that you had enough to last the summer. In case you don’t want to throw out the old hoodie, here’s a sewing kit to fix that and that bear of yours. _

_ Love, mom _

Max smiled as he carefully folded the paper and added it to the pile.

*****

“Have you noticed that Max seems happier lately?” Neil asks.

“Yeah. It’s pretty weird.” 

“Do you think it’s because of his parents? He’s been getting things in the mail finally?” 

“Maybe?” 

Before Neil can say anything else Max opens the doors to the mess hall and takes a seat.

“Nice hoodie” Nikki compliments.

“Thanks.” Max smiles. “My parents sent it to me.” 

“Alright campers! Time to start today’s activity!” David announces cheerfully. “Today we’ll be writing letters! We haven’t done it in a while but I thought it’d be a nice break since the weathers been rather sour.” 

While David is talking Gwen begins to pass out papers one by one to each camper.

Max gratefully takes the papers before freezing as he realizes that he’s actually going a to write to his parents.

_ It had to be perfect. _ He decides.

_ Dear mom,  _

But what next?

_ I miss you very much. _

No.

_ I miss you, too. _

There.

He continues to write for what feels like forever when David announces the next activity. He had started over countless times but was proud when he was close to finished.

It wasn’t long before he campers started to leave the mess hall.

“You coming?” Neil asks. 

“I’ll be out in a minute” 

“Okay…”

It takes him a few more minutes before finishing. He reads it one last time as he prepares to fold it.

_ Dear mom and dad, _

_ I miss you both, too. _

_ I never thought id say that but I really do. Camp sucked at first but over time I began to like it. I know you only wanted to get rid of me but it slowly became something I enjoyed. Thank you for the hoodie and the letters and the opportunity to meet all these new friends. I think I finally know what it’s like to be happy. I can’t wait to see you guys again and finally live the life we’ve all wanted. I hope things can be better and that we’ll finally be a happy family. _

_ Love, Max _

He feels satisfied as he finishes folding it.

He looks around for an envelope only to not find any. 

“Huh.” 

He decided to ask David. Unsure of where they went, he tries the counselor cabin.

He opens the door to see no one inside. Taking matters into his own hands, he decides to find one on his own.

He looks everywhere, Gwen’s desk, under the beds, in the drawers.

It wasn’t until he went into Gwen’s “secret compartment” that he found an envelope.

“Fucking finally.” 

He turns it over to see it already had his name on it.

“What the fuck?” He says, turning it around. It had been opened before. 

He felt queasy as he took out the folded paper, opening it in his hands.

In blue pen:

_ Max, _

_ We found another fucking lighter in your room and that’s the last time we’ll tolerate this shit. We give you a roof over your head and clothes on your back and you repay us with this? Unacceptable. If this happens again we’re packing your shit and you can find somewhere else to stay because we can’t handle this anymore, Maxwell.  _

Max felt his heart drop as he finished reading the letter. Pieces started to slowly fall into place as a single tear rolled down his cheek.

He didn’t even hear the cabin door opened.

“Yeah I’ll be back in a sec Gw- Max? What are you doing in here? Are you alright?” 

Max clenches his hands into fists as he whips around to meet his sight.

“You piece of shit!” He chokes out, “you fucking-“

David is about to ask what happened when he notices the letters.

“Oh… Max-“

“I can’t fucking believe you!”

“Woah what’s all the- shit…” Gwen walks in only to be immediately crushed under the social tension between the two.

“Max, I know how this looks-“ 

“You’ve been lying to me, you made me think-“ he pulls at his hair as he screams, “you made me think my parents fucking loved me!”

“Gwen and I-“

“Gwen was involved?!”

“Yes and we just wanted to make you feel safe and secure and-“

“You’re a lying piece of shit, the both of you!” He sobs. “You fucking… I fucking hate you!” He yells before tearing the letter and ripping off the hoodie.

“I fucking hate you.” He says, quieter.

Before David can reach out Max is running out the door and into the woods.

“Holy shit.” Gwen says, running a hand through her hair. “Fuck…”

David looks between the spot where he stood and the door, his hands hanging uselessly to his sides.

He really messed things up.

*****

It was dark and cold by the time he had reached the mountain side. It had started raining two hours ago. He’d been looking all over for Max only to come up empty handed. It wasn’t until he saw the child along the mountains edge that his heart filled with relief.

“Max. Finally I found you!”

Max ignores him as he steps closer.

“I- I have your hoodie, it’s real cold, it’s a- it’s wet now but…” 

Max says nothing.

“Max…” David practically whispers, “I’m sorry.” He lowers his head as the thunder cracks once more against the dark gray sky. The child’s silence is unbearable.

“All I ever wanted was for them to want me.” 

“W-What?” 

“All I wanted…” Max says again, “was to be loved.” 

“Oh, Max, you are!” He says, stepping forward. “So many people love you, you have friends, me and Gwen-“

“But you aren’t my parents.” 

David goes silent.

He was right.

A parents love meant more than anyone else’s. No matter what way you phrased it. No matter who you had and when. 

“Max…”

“I’ve been trying all my life to get their attention. But they ignore me. Hell, I would have been happy to receive that shitty letter they actually sent.” 

“Max- I-“ 

“I used to be good, you know. I didn’t start off this way.” 

“I know.” 

The two fall into silence, nothing to be heard but the pouring rain surrounding them.

“We should head back, Max.” 

Max ignores him once more.

Out of options, David joins him at the mountains edge.

After what feels like an eternity, David speaks.

“Gwen and I didn’t mean to hurt you.” He looks at his face for a reaction to not receive one so he continues, “Gwen saw the letter and opened it without thinking. She showed it to me and we deemed it…  _ Unfit  _ for you to read.” He wipes the rain from his forehead before continuing, “Gwen saw your mental state deteriorating and wanted to help. But she needed me. I… I copied the hand writing and we both wrote the letters. We thought it would help you, but we were wrong.” 

Max doesn’t react.

“I’m sorry.” 

Before he can register it, Max throws himself into David’s arms for a hug. He’s practically shivering from the cold. David carefully brings his arms up to reciprocate.

“I’m sorry, Max…” 

They hug briefly before Max pulls away.

“You don’t tell anyone about this, you hear me?” 

David smiles, “of course.” 

“Let’s go back. I’m fucking freezing.” 

“Sure thing, kiddo.” 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
